Electric filling feeler mechanism for looms



Aug. 16, 1938. K v, cc ET AL 2,127,182

- ELECTRIC FILLING FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed D60. 21, 1936 6 C 12 18 17 W 26 27 4 8' J0 .25 a

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a IIIIII/AI I 4o wu (WET-M S q KENNETH M/Vc Clues P297216)? 674 ezwel 'IIIIII Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE Application December 21, 1936, Serial No. 117,074

18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric filling feeler mechanism for looms.

An object of the invention is to provide improved filling feeler mechanism that can be readily applied to fancy pick and pick looms.

Other objects of the invention are to provide improved means for detachably holding the filling holder on the spindle of the shuttle; to provide improved means for holding the spindle in operative position; to provide an improved construction of feeler member and means for pressing the same toward the filling holder; to avoid the necessity for having built in contacts on the iron swell or box front; and to provide filling feeler mechanism of simple construction, that will be strong, durable and efiicient in operation, and that can be produced and applied at low cost.

The invention, with other objects and advantages thereof, and the particular construction, combinations and arrangements of parts comprising the same, will be understood from the hereinafter contained detail description when considered in connection with the accompanying 25 drawing, forming part hereof and illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of a shuttle pro-vided with filling feeler mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention, the shuttle being shown in the shuttle box.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shuttle.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the shuttle.

35 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the shuttle.

Fig. 5 is a detail picker.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the picker stick and picker, the latter being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the weft holder.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of part of the electric circuit and contacts.

While a specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing, it will of course be understood that minor changes and modifications may be made in the particular construction, shown, and the invention may be embodied in other forms as will appeal to those skilled in the art and falling within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to a detail description of the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated part section and plan of the in the drawing, I designates a shuttle box of a fancy pick or box loom (not shown), the shuttle box illustrated being of conventional form, the same having an iron swell or front part 2.

The shuttle 3 has a metal spindle pivotally 5 connected thereto by a transverse pin 5. 6 designates a pin that serves as a stop for the spindle when it is swung downwardly to its position in the shuttle. Removably mounted on the spindle 4 is a filling holder, which is provided with an outer metal contact base portion. In the drawing, the weft holder is shown as a cop or bobbin comprising a main body part 1 formed of fiber, wood or similar material with a metal sleeve 8 secured thereon forming the outer contact base portion. The metal sleeve, as shown, projects a short distance beyond the inner end of the main body part 7 and is provided with an outwardly projecting flange 8 for engagement by fingers 9, ID toremovably hold the filling holder on the spindle. On the rear portion of the spindle is a coiled metal spring I I and a metal washer l2, the spring being interposed between an enlarged part of the spindle and the washer and acting to press the washer against the flange 8 of the metal sleeve 8, and the latter against the retaining fingers 9|0.

Set in the bottom of the shuttle is a transverse pin [3, said pin being positioned to extend below the metal sleeve 8 of the cop or bobbin when the bobbin is placed on the spindle. Pivotally mounted on the pin I3 is a feeler member M in the form of a small metal finger having an enlarged base portion l5 through which the pin [3 extends, and having a beveled face It at its outer end adapted to contact with the metal sleeve 8 when the bobbin is almost emptied of its fillings. The forward end of the feeler member I 4 is pressed toward the metal sleeve 8 of the cop or bobbin by an elastic rubber strip I! attached at opposite ends to opposite sides of the shuttle and engaging the under side of the feeler member.

The rubber strip I1 may conveniently be formed from an ordinary rubber band as shown, the band being severed and formed with knots l8 at its ends, and the end portions of the rubber strip being engaged with notches IS in the retaining fingers 9-H) with the knots I8 disposed at the rear side of the fingers 9-40. The metal base portion l5 of the feeler member in rear of the pin I3 is provided with a notched portion 20. A transverse pin 2! on the shuttle extends between the sides of the notched portion 20, said pin cooperating with the notched portion to limit the pivotal movement of the feeler member to red 34.

prevent the same from moving upwardly too far when the shuttle is opened to change cops, and also to prevent the feeler member from falling through the opening in the bottom of the shuttle should the rubber strip break.

Secured to one side of the shuttle by small bolts and nuts 2223 is a contact plate 24 of brass or other suitable conducting material, said contact plate being so positioned that when the shuttle is in the box the plate will be in contact with the iron swell or front part 2 of the box. The contact plate 24 is electrically connected to the feeler member l4 through a short conductor wire 25 having one end secured to the bolt 22 and connected at its other end to the pivot pin 13 of the feeler member. Within a recess of the shuttle at the rear end of the spindle is a coiled spring 26 and a plate 21, the spring pressing the plate against the rear end of the spindle.

The other end of the spring 26 bears against the head of a contact screw 28, the end of which is in contact with the end of an inwardly ex tending stem 29 on the steel shuttle point 36, which latter when the shuttle enters the box, makes contact with a contact on the picker. As will be understood, the spring 26 and plate 21 act to hold the spindle in operative position, and also serve as an electrical connection between the spindle and contact screw 28.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 5 and 6 of the drawing, the picker shown comprises a cylindrical shaped head part 3|, an intermediate portion 32, and an enlarged end portion 33, the latter being tubular to slidably engage the guide 35 designates the picker stick of conventional form having its upper end extending through a slot in the picker. The picker is formed of any suitable nonconducting material and is provided at each side of its head with a contact 36, with which the shuttle point 30 is adapted to contact. On the enlarged tubular end portion 33 of the picker are a pair of binding posts 31. A pair of conductor wires 38-39 connect each one of the contacts 36 with one of the binding posts 31 and the pair of conducting wires 38-39 are shown connected intermediate their ends by a conductor wire 46. In the particular exemplification of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the picker is formed of layers of rawhide secured together by rivets 40, as shown, with the contacts 36 of the head and the conductor wires 38-39 and 4!) embedded therein, the contacts 36 being in the form of soft copper cores, and the conductor wires 38-39 and 46 being arranged between the layers of rawhide out of contact with the rivets 46.

On the upper part of the picker stick near the picker is a binding post 4|, and 42 is a conductor wire connected with the binding post 41 on the picker stick and one of the binding posts 31 on the picker. The conductor 42 is flexible to allow for relative movement between the picker and stick, the same preferably, as shown, taking the form of a coiled wire or spring. 43 designates a conductor connected with the binding post 4| on the picker stick and running to the foot of the stick. This conductor 43, which is firmly secured in any suitable way to the picker stick, is shown in Figure 8 of the drawing connected with a binding post 44 on the lower end of the picker stick. On the loom frame is a binding post 45. This binding post 45 and the binding post 44 on the lower end of the picker stick, as indicated in Figure 8, are included in a circuit 46-4'I, in which is included an electro-magnet or solenoid for operating a conventional knock-off device for stopping the loom when the circuit is closed.

To prevent the filling from running out completely from the bobbin before the closing of the circuit, a small extra bunch of filling material is wound on the rear end of the cop or bobbin in accordance with the regular practice in the use of filling feeler mechanisms. In operation, as will be understood, when there is filling on the cop or bobbin, the filling separates the feeler member 14 from the metal contact sleeve 8 so that the circuit is broken at this point, but as soon as the cop is almost emptied of its filling,

the end I6 of the feeler member I4 will contact with the metal sleeve 8 so that when the shuttle is boxed, the circuit will be closed through the binding post 45, the loom frame, the iron swell 2 of the shuttle box, contact plate 24, feeler M, the metal sleeve 6, washer l2, spindle 4, spring 26, plate 27, contact screw 28, stem 29, shuttle point 30, and one of the contacts 36 on the picker.

As will be understood, with the picker head provided with a contact 36 at each side thereof, the picker is reversible or adapted to be connected with the picker stick at either side of the loom.

It will be noted that by the particular construction and arrangement of parts hereinbefore described, filling feeler mechanism of a simple, ei'ficient nature is afforded that can be readily applied to fancy pick and pick looms. With looms that have change boxes at both sides, the mechanism can be installed at either side, and it will be observed that it obviates the necessity for built in contacts on the iron swell or box front 2, which are objectionable because they make it difficult to bend and shape the iron swell.

What we claim is:

1. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having a metal contact portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on, the filling and to contact with said metal contact portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means on the shuttle and picker for closing an electric circuit through said metal contact portion of the filling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith.

2. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having a metal contact portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bearon the filling and to contact with said metal contact portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means on the shuttle, picker, and shuttle box for closing a circuit through said metal contact portion of thefilling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith.

3. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having a metal contact portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal contact portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal contact portion of the filling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including a contact on the picker for engagement by the shuttle point, and a single plate contact on the side of the shuttle.

4. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a

shuttle box having a spring-pressed metal swell, 75

a shuttle including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having a metal contact portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal contact portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal contact portion of the filling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including a contact on the picker for engagement by the shuttle point, a plate contact on the side of the shuttle to contact with the metal swell of the shuttle box, and a conductor lead electrically connected to a part of the loom frame.

5. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle having .an electrically conductive point and including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having an outer metal base portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal base portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal base portion of the filling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including means electrically connecting said metal base portion with the shuttle point, and a contact on the picker for engagement by the shuttle point.

6. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having an outer metal base portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal base portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal base portion of the filling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including an inwardly extending stem on the shuttle point, a metal plate in the shuttle in rear of the rear end of the spindle, a metal spring in the shuttle pressing said plate against the rear end of the spindle, one end of the spring being electrically connected with the stem on the shuttle point, and a contact on the picker for engagement by the shuttle point.

'7. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having an outer metal base portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal base portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal base portion of the filling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including an inwardly extending stem on the shuttle point, a separate stem portion in contact with and extending inwardly from the outer end of the stem on the shuttle point, said separate stem part having a head disposed at the interior of the shuttle, a metal plate in rear of the rear end of the spindle, a metal spring pressing said plate against the rear end of the spindle, one end of r said spring contacting with the head on said separate stem part, and a contact on the picker for engagement by the shuttle point.

8. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle having a spindle pivoted at one end thereto, a filling holder on the spindle having an outer metal base portion provided with an outwardly projecting flange, a pair of oppositely disposed inwardly projecting fingers on the shuttle to engage over the flange and retain the holder on the spindle, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal base portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal base portion of the filling holder when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including means electrically connecting the shuttle point with the spindle, a metal plate slidably mounted on the spindle, a metal spring interposed between ,a part on the spindle and said plate and acting to press the latter against the flange on the metal base portion of the holder, and a contact on the picker for engagement by the point of the shuttle.

9. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle including a spindle pivoted at one end thereto, a filling holder on the spindle having an outer metal base portion, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal base portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal base portion of the filling holder and the shuttle point when the feeler member contacts with the metal base portion, said means including a spring-pressed metal plate engaging the rear end of the spindle, said spring and plate acting to maintain the spindle in operative position.

10. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle-body, a filling carrier supported thereby, a metal contact portion carried by the filling carrier, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal contact portion as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker, and means for closing a circuit through said metal contact portion when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including a contact on one side of the picker head adapted to be engaged by the shuttle point, and a conductor on the picker leading from said contact to a binding post on the picker.

11. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle-body, a filling carrier supported thereby, a metal contact portion carried by the filling carrier, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged tocontact with said metal contact portion as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker, a picker stick, and means for closing a circuit through said metal contact portion when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including a contact on the head of the picker adapted to be engaged by the shuttle point, a conductor embedded in the picker and leading from said contact to a binding post on the picker, a conductor on the picker stick extending from its lower portion to the upper part thereof, and a fiexible conductor connected with said last-mentioned conductor and to the binding post on the picker.

12. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle-body, a filling carrier supported thereby, a metal contact portion carried by the filling carrier, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to contact with said metal contact portion as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker formed of non-conducting material, and means for closing a circuit through said metal contact portion when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including a contact on the picker at each side of its head, said picker being reversible for connection with operating mechanism at either side of the loom, and each of said contacts on the picker head being adapted to be engaged by the shuttle point, and conductors on the picker leading from said contacts to binding posts on the picker.

13-. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle-body, a filling carrier supported thereby, a metal contact portion carried by the filling carrier, a feeler member on the shuttle arranged to 2 bear on the filling and to contact with said metal contact portion as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker formed of non-conducting material, and means for closing a circuit through said metal contact portion when the feeler member contacts therewith, said means including a contact at one side of the picker head embedded therein and adapted to be engaged by the shuttle point, and a conductor embedded in the picker leading from said contact to a binding post on the picker.

14. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, a shuttle including a spindle, a filling holder on the spindle having an outer metal base portion, a

- feeler finger arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with said metal base portion of the holder when the latter is almost emptied of its filling, said feeler finger being mounted near one end on a horizontal pivot on the lower part of the shuttle to swing vertically beneath the spindle, a pair of oppositely disposed fingers projecting inwardly from opposite sides of the shuttle and each provided with a notch in the upper side thereof, an elastic strip of rubber attached at opposite ends to said fingers and extending downwardly therefrom to either side of the filling holder beneath and engaging the under side of the feeler finger to press the same toward the filling holder, said elastic strip having a knot at each end, and the knotted end portions of the strip being engaged with the notches in the pair of fingers, and means for closing a circuit through the metal base portion of the filling holder when the feeler finger contacts therewith.

15. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, an

- electric circuit, a shuttle-body, a filling carrier supported thereby, a shuttle carried feeler arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with a contact in said circuit as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker, and cooperating means on the shuttle and picker for closing the electric circuit through said contact when the feeler contacts therewith and while the shuttle is boxed.

16. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, an electric circuit, a shuttle-body, a filling carrier supported thereby, a shuttle carried feeler arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with a contact in said circuit as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker, and cooperating means on the shuttle, picker, and shuttle-box for closing the electric circuit through said contact when the feeler contacts therewith and while the shuttle is boxed.

17. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, an electric circuit, a shuttle-body having an electrically conductive point, a filling carrier supported by the shuttle-body, a shuttle carried feeler arranged to bear on the filling and to contact with a contact in said circuit as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker, and means for closing the electric circuit through said contact when the feeler contacts therewith and while the shuttle is boxed, said means including a contact on the picker for engagement by the shuttle point, and a single contact strip on the exterior of the shuttle.

18. In filling feeler mechanism for looms, an electric circuit, a shuttle-box having a spring pressed metal swell, a shuttle-body having an electrically conductive point, a filling carrier supported by the shuttle body, a shuttle carried feeler arranged to bear on the fill-ing and to contact with a contact in said circuit as the filling approaches exhaustion, a picker, and means for closing the electric circuit through said contact when the feeler contacts therewith and while the shuttle is boxed, said means including a contact on the picker for engagement by the shuttle point, and a single contact strip on the exterior of the shuttle to contact with the metal swell of the shuttle box.

KENNETH V. McCALEB. PATRICK STARNIRI. 

